Predictable
by kcoleman
Summary: Roxanne calls Megamind out on his predictability and his actions become anything but. Who will be the villain and who will be the hero? Eventually to be rated M.
1. Chapter 1

Her head was still fuzzy from the knock out gas. Was it stronger this time? It made her loopy. Maybe that's why today turned out differently than any other day.

"Where, oh where, could I be?" Roxanne interrupted the familiar sound of machinery humming with a sarcastic quip. She knew that Megamind liked her banter, it got him going. The familiar routine was likely a comfort to him, but it was growing dull to her.

She felt the canvas bag being lifted from her slightly perspiring face. Show time, once again.

However, she continued to keep her eyes closed to prove a point. His leather chair swiveled. The same brainbot gave a 'bowg' of recognition from atop his lap. Then, she could hear his intake of breath at her deviation from the plan. His evil speech had been halted.

Almost in an aside Megamind stated, "Roxanne, your mask has been removed now. You can open your eyes."

"Don't need to." She smirked.

"What do you mean?" She could picture his brow furrowing, his upper lip raising and his eyes shifting back and forth in confusion.

"I mean," she smiled, "that I've seen it all before. I can tell you what you'll do before you do it." She could feel him tense up at her accusation.

Clack, clack. "You're walking towards me with those custom baby seal leather boots," she continued, "ready to explain your latest devious plot to myself and Metro Man."

He stopped shy of her chair. She chirped in the direction of where she assumed the monitor was, "Hi there Metro Man, stuck battling a giant robot brain? Does it have lasers?"

Over the live video feed, Metro Man responded with a hearty heroic chuckle, "Close Roxie. That's a yes on the lasers, but this one's an alligator robot. Sit tight, I think there's a group of them."

"How exciting and, might I add, unexpected." She replied with her eyes still closed.

"Oh, you…" came a low growl from the blue, big-headed alien. She could feel his gloved finger pointing at her. "Minion!" He shouted, "Cut the microphones. I won't let Miss Reporter here do any more digging."

Her smile grew. "Well, time to head home? Should I wait for the gas?"

His voice was by her ear. "Not this time." She felt the breath from his words hot on her cheek.

Her eyes fluttered open, "What?"

"Minion, code: step out for a while." He commanded whilst still staring at his prey. A mischievous grin appeared on his cerulean face. Last time she saw that happen, Metro Man was stuck in his trap for 24 hours. She swallowed, but tried not to show it.

The fish gave his friend a bit of a confused look. "Sir, Metro Man is still battling the robots, he hasn't won yet. Wouldn't it be better if we…"

Megamind returned the glance, "Perhaps you and the brainbots can greet him if he ever does show up. You know, out there, in the lair?" and nodded his dome in the direction of the door with a raise of his eyebrows.

Minion looked from his master to the door and back again. "You know best, Sir." The fish resigned. With an apologetic look at Ms. Ritchie, he was gone.

Still tied to the chair, Roxanne looked up at her captor as if she were seeing him for the first time. The break from routine was causing her to feel uneasy, but she didn't know if she could say the same of him. He looked confident in his decision, a face she had never seen before. Sure, she had seen the comically exaggerated fear, pain, defiance, exuberance, anger, and resignation. That's when it clicked. Those were stage emotions, so what was this?

It felt as if she had been kidnapped by someone else. "What's going on here, Megamind?" she struggled against the restraints as she searched his emerald eyes.

"I thought you could predict my actions, Smarty." He replied as he strolled towards her chair. He bent at the waist; both of his hands resting on the chair at either side of her hips. "You tell me."

Something about his confidence made hers grow as well. "You're good with words. If I had to guess, I'd say, talk me to death?" She smiled. He was harmless, wasn't he?

He let out a leisurely laugh that was much deeper than the one he used on Metro Man. "You think I'm all talk and no action?" Suddenly, his leathered hand was on her cheeks pressing her mouth into a pout. "I'll show you how active I can be."

"Time out, time out!" She mumbled through her pressed lips. He released her flushed cheeks. "What has gotten into you?"

He tilted his head, examining her flustered face. "Not bored anymore, are you?"

She didn't have time to answer before his periwinkle lips were pressed against her cherry ones. The kiss was hard and swift, almost as if testing the waters. Maybe he wasn't as sure as he seemed.

"I'd slap you if my hands weren't tied behind my back." She hissed. Maybe he would be so ashamed he would let her go.

"Why's that? Afraid that your boyfriend wouldn't like your mouth on his nemesis?" Megamind brushed his lips.

_Oh, that old bit. For God's sake did anyone ever even ask? He's not my-_ "You bet he wouldn't!" To hell with it. Spurring him on seemed like the only way out. Or was she digging herself deeper?

"What about my hands? Would he like them here?" Megamind questioned as he casually placed one on each of her breasts swelling just above the rope.

Her mouth dropped. Did he really just? She could feel his hands pull away at her reaction. _So he was still uncertain of himself._ "You, bastard!" It didn't bother her really; she had a bra on and everything. She barely felt it. He'd actually been quite gentle in the way he'd cupped them. Yet, if she was going to get out of this, she had to throw in the theatrics. Crocodile tears rolled down her cheeks. The years spent in acting to be on television seemed to be paying off after all. This was kind of fun.

That was until his gloved hands were wringing one another. His face betrayed him, showing genuine hurt, uncertainty and apologetic remorse. Her kind and inexperienced blue guy was back. The man who played villain, but wasn't one in the true sense of the word. She felt happy and sorry at the same time. She was just startled by the way he was behaving. She would never call him predictable again.

She was about to explain herself, when Metro Man came bursting through the roof. The hero pushed aside the rubble to observe a dejected alien and a flabbergasted hostage. Something was up, and he wasn't so sure who to blame. Even with her hands tied behind her back, he knew how cunning Ms. Ritchie could be when she wanted something. That was something they had in common. When she gave him the wry smile, he knew who the culprit was. Just what had she done? Nonetheless, Megamind bowed his head and held out his wrists for cuffing. Did he feel guilty about something or was he following procedure? In a city where epic battles of good against evil happened daily, things were just starting to get interesting.


	2. Chapter 2

Since he was the fastest ticket home during the rush hour traffic, she didn't mind catching a ride draped over the hero's broad shoulder. He was so big that he was almost like a sofa anyway. She'd almost grown accustomed to flying Air Metro over the years. They'd even joked about frequent flyer miles.

After placing Megamind safely in his other home at the pen, Metro Man's curiosity led him to strike up a conversation with the feisty girl reporter. "Anything out of the usual happen today, Roxie? The little blue guy seemed all broken up about something."

The breeze played with her hair. That's why she cut it short, so it didn't whip her on the ride home or get caught up in the bag when she was being kidnapped. Without knowing it, she was building her life around this playground fight. They seemed to be traveling at a slower pace now, was he buying time?

"I don't know what you're talking about." She replied casually, her eyes closed.

They came to a stop on the top of a flat roof of a building five stories up, not too high. _So, the big guy was a bit of a reporter himself._

"Come on now, both you and I can tell when someone's lying. It's actually one of my super powers, remember?" He displayed his pearly whites as he brushed a hand through his perfect hair in mock humility.

"Oh yea. Truth vision." She crossed her arms and remembered the times that he had helped her uncover the facts in some particularly tough investigations. Was he trying to get her to pay back the favor?

Metro Man continued to stare at her like a puppy that wants you to throw a bone. _So he was becoming bored with the usual too. _She let out a breath and rolled her eyes. "All right, I may or may not have mentioned that he was predictable."

"You don't say?" Metro Man egged her on like a school girl looking for gossip.

"And, well, I wanted to see what he would do." She took at breath at the memory, "What can I say, I didn't see it coming."

Metro Man raised an eyebrow as if to say _details please_.

She glared back at him from the corner of her eye, unsure whether or not she wanted to divulge everything. "He felt me up." A thrill shot through her like a giddy teenager.

She almost expected Metro Man to cup his cheeks with his mouth in the typical 'oh' shape letting out a squeal of scandalous delight. He just stared hard at her, his eyebrows level. "What?" He uttered. _So he wasn't her gal pal. Coming back to reality now._

She bit her bottom lip. "Well it wasn't like harassment, okay maybe it was, but it's nothing worse than the way you grab my butt while flying me home."

"I was trying to carry you in the safest manner possible-" Metro Man defended.

Now it was her turn to stare.

"Okay, okay. But I have to admit, it does have a nice shape." He smiled. His cheeks must hurt from doing that all day.

She punched his arm. Then, she rubbed her fist. The man was like a rock.

"So, what happens now?" Metro Man queried, his cape billowing in the wind from Metro City bay.

"Well," she looked wistfully over in the direction of the blue alien's lair, "we go back to normal, right?" She looked back at the hero for clarification.

"Right." He answered with a nod, not letting her know that his truth vision was telling him otherwise.

Megamind slouched on the chair in his cell. He was covered once again in the familiar orange jumpsuit, the complementary to his blue. The television droned on in the background as he held up his hands, blocking out the light it emitted. Where had they just been? What had he just done?

He had imagined it so many times, seeing Roxanne vulnerable when tied up. And yet, he had thought that something about her spirit could never be. So he took a chance, leaving both of them feeling defenseless.

But, he was the bad guy, right? Villains shouldn't care how their captives feel. After all, the hero never stops to ask the bad guy to sit down and have a hot chocolate and talk about their feelings. They just bust in with their self-righteous attitude, break some expensive and highly meticulous machinery, and swoop off with the girl knowing that their course of action is always right. People will applaud, and cheer, and clasp them on the back saying, "Great job buddy". It didn't feel right to him in grade school, and it didn't feel right to him now.

He wanted to experience how that attitude felt. He had played the cautious villain in his own way, but the damsel was not in distress. In fact, she was completely at ease in his lair. So, he decided to take a walk on the path of self-righteousness and confidence. It had worked so well for the city's hero. At first, he liked the way it felt, like he was in charge of his own destiny, like he could be a winner. Then her face reminded him of what it felt like to be on the losing end. If that's what it took to be on top, he'd didn't mind living in the shadows. It was true; his lair was already becoming shaded by the new statue of Metro Man they were erecting. It was time to move locations. He recalled setting his eye on one spot, an abandoned factory on the outskirts of town. Yes, that would work out nicely. The brainbots could move things in a night if they set their little electronic minds to it.

His mind was set, it was time to shed those memories and accept his place in Metro City. "Minion." He whispered to a hidden wristband that was programmed to match his bluish tone.

"Yes sir," The fish's voice buzzed in reply. "The plan is set. We have the invisible car outside ready and waiting. I even got you some of those donuts you like!"

Minion sounded happy. That was good, he needed some cheering up. "Code: we move out tonight."


	3. Chapter 3

Roxanne sat at her desk attempting to type up a story for that evening's news. Things had been rather dry the last week, since Minion hadn't been by to surprise her with a visit from the canvas bag. She counted her blessings at being lucky enough to never meet the forget-me-stick, although she had heard the boys talking about it whenever someone else intervened. She wondered if they knew just how much information she had been gathering over the years spent waiting for them to 'start the show'. She nibbled on the end of her pen while thinking about running a clip on a squirrel waterskiing, how could anyone not be happy with that death-defying feat? A feeling of fickleness rose over her as she realized she was becoming bored with or without the kidnapping. Was she depressed or sick or something? She checked her temperature with the back of her hand. It seemed alright. She just needed to get out and find some excitement, have a little fun.

"Hey there, Foxy Roxie. Heh. You see what I did there?"

She didn't even need to look up to know the pushy redheaded male was using his elbow to lean on her desk.

"You up to anything tonight?" Hal pressed onward, "I was thinking about cruising around town. But then I was like, my mom took her car back, so how about we use yours? Oh, or the van, if you're into that."

She closed her eyes. Did she mention clueless in her description? "Sorry not tonight, Hal. I have some research to do." _Not any night_.

"Yea, I bet you're busy looking into Megamind's disappearance." He sighed.

"What?" It felt like someone had given her a sharp shove. She looked to her cameraman for answers.

He liked being looked at; maybe he had the advantage here. "What, you didn't hear? It looks like he moved out of his old lair, the one that Metro Man wrecked the roof of when saving you."

She looked down at the papers on her desk. She couldn't let Hal see the range of emotions that were flying across her face. Did she cause this? Where did he go? Would he come back? Would she have to report on waterskiing squirrels for the rest of her life?

"I could take you there," Hal suggested in a low voice, "in the van."

She didn't have much of a choice. The knock out gas never allowed her to establish exactly where it was, so she couldn't find it on her own. She couldn't explain why, but her body urged her to discover what the lair was like in a sober state. Maybe the forget-me-stick was still around if the videographer got grabby.

"All right." She stood up determinedly, placing the clip on the schedule and letting it ride. At least until she could find something more interesting.

The sun was lower in the sky as she looked out the car window to see the high-rises passing by. Slowly they transitioned to smaller apartment buildings. She wasn't usually afforded this privilege. Even if she had been unconscious, something reminiscent in her body was telling her that this was the right way. Hal was going on about something, she wasn't listening. In fact, the only speeches that she found herself analyzing were those made by Megamind. Perhaps it was because she was trying to understand exactly why she was the only one in Metro City worth being held captive.

"And, here we are." Hal stated confidently as the van came to a halt.

He would get no prize. She didn't acknowledge his words, just opened the door and stepped out to observe the remains of what could have been her second home. Now, it felt like a lifeless shell. But it was only a building, an old factory, probably a safety hazard. She stepped forward in a curious trance. While Hal was looking for the camera, believing that this was an impromptu shoot for the news, she disappeared behind the old brick walls.

Rays of light from the sunset were streaming through the windows as the remaining light bulbs flickered on. Some electricity must still be wired to the old building. She followed the light up the stairs, trailing her fingers on the wall with a slight twinge of nostalgia. Where was he now?

Megamind was installing the monitors into his new lair, which was quite spacious compared to the last one. When suddenly, he caught a flicker on the screen that fed from one of cameras he had left behind. The brainbots were supposed to pick those up after nightfall. He wheeled his large leather chair over to the display and squinted to get a better look. The benefit of being a super-villain was that it drove many of the smaller crooks out of business. Perhaps that was also due to the town having a super-hero, but he liked to think it was his accomplishment for being the top of the chain, at least in his line of work. So, who was this figure lurking in his abandoned lair? What were they hoping to find? They were quite curvaceous…

He gasped, "Roxanne!" as he clutched the spandex at his chest. It was dangerous in there, half of the reason he decided to move out was because Metro Man had made the framework of the old building unstable. He leaned forward, what was she doing?

She was ambling around when she saw the room that she used to be tied up in. It had only been about a week, so why did it feel like a month? Wasn't she growing a little attached to the ropes? It was weird how their restriction brought a sense of safety rather than panic. It was like her world was unraveling without them, like they were the thread that kept it together, made it make sense. She stopped in front of a doorway she hadn't seen before. On the ceiling of the room was a blue lightning bolt. Could this be?

"My old room?" Megamind questioned the monitor. "What is she doing in there?" He was transfixed, unable to move.

She continued to trace the wall with her fingers, as if she could obtain some sort of life force, somehow bring him out, to feel him. The room was empty; all of the furniture was removed. Only a floor with peeling tiles remained. Compiling her research, she realized how he had moved from a childhood on cement behind bars to young adulthood in a shabby brick building that was due for demolition. What a bad hand he'd been given. But he still kept his wits and kept creating, pushing himself to succeed. That was admirable, even if it was in the wrong direction. There was a door in the corner. Curiosity pushed her to seek where it led. It opened with a creak as she examined an otherwise empty closet, aside from a small pile of fabric on the floor. She picked it up and stretched it out. It was a torn and tattered black cape. There were studs on the shoulder pieces, though some were scratched and some had fallen out.

"Why is she holding that? Why are you holding that Roxanne?" Megamind begged the screen. He had discarded that old thing since it was damaged and not worth the time to repair. Besides, he had millions more; shiny new ones that allowed for the best presentation.

She felt something tingle in her stomach as she balled the smooth fabric in her fists. It really was soft. She brushed it against her cheek, bringing it across her face to see if it still smelled like him.

Megamind swallowed as he watched the scene unfold. His cheeks grew warm as he felt like this was something private. But it was his old room and his old clothes for crying out loud! He couldn't quite get it. Was she looking for clues to his new hideout? He turned off the screen as he decided to hop into the invisible car and get her out of there one way or another. It was certainly not safe, and the brainbots were instructed to destroy it after they had retrieved all of his materials. Wasn't that later tonight?

"Good evening, citizen." Metro Man stated as he glided down to greet the pudgy redhead.

"It's Hal by the way; you think you'd know since I film you enough."

"Right you are." Metro Man continued smiling. He noted the camera in Hal's right hand. "And where is the reporter of the evening?"

"She went in there, but the thing looks too creepy and rickety to me. Don't you get that vibe? Like ghosts or something? I bet that'd make a good story for the news, heh."

Metro Man looked at the odd boy and back to the building. "Yes, it certainly looks off. It always has."

Roxanne noted how the rays of sunlight were long gone now. Only a few faint bulbs wavered in the dark. She must have been in the room for a while. Then, she began to hear the shuffle of feet in the hall. Her heart beat sped up. Wasn't Hal mumbling something about ghosts in the car?

"Ohhh." She heard resonate through the walls.

"Ohhhh!" Megamind groaned. This old lair was way too dimly lit now; it made him hit his shin on the banister! He rubbed it hurriedly, willing the pain away. "Roxanne!" He whispered as he saw her shoot out of his old bedroom. Was she afraid or something? She was running haphazardly towards the spot where Metro Man had made his entrance. Pain be darned, he took off after her.

'_Nope! Nope! Nope!'_ thought Roxanne as she sped towards what she thought was an exit. She could have sworn that she continued to hear footsteps echoing after her as she ran. It felt like someone was panting but she refused to look back. Suddenly, she tripped over a downed ceiling beam and felt a hand grasp the back of her white blouse, catching her swiftly. She let out a small scream as she was staring down a gaping hole in the floor that could have certainly cost her a few bones if not her life. Out of the darkness, Metro Man swooped her up from underneath and whisked her out of the old building.

Megamind released his firm grip on Roxanne to relinquish her once again into the waiting arms of the city's hero. "At least she's safe…" He whispered as he watched her go, his outstretched hand retracting from her direction.


	4. Chapter 4

A glimpse of movement, something resembling a hand in the dark had caught her eye as she was being lifted out of the skylight by the perpetrator who created it. Her feet were soon on solid ground again as she caught her breath and was starting to analyze the evidence. But not before stalling Hal's array of questions, "_Was ghosts? I knew it! Can we make one of those ghost finder shows?"_

Someone was inside; some unsung hero had stopped her from plummeting before Metro Man ever heard her scream. "We have to go back inside!" Roxanne commanded to the city's icon, her blue eyes burning. "Someone's in there!"

"What do you mean Roxie? I just swooped in before you fell into a heap of trouble." Metro Man advised, "Anyone else would have given one look at the dilapidated building and walked the other way. What were you thinking?" He was seeking answers that they both knew were beyond reason.

"That doesn't matter." she stated walking towards the building again in an effort to withdraw attention from her and place it on the person who was more likely in need of help right now.

Metro Man glided in front of her, blocking her path. He floated on air, you would think it would be easy to push the guy aside, but it wasn't. She cursed the way he defied physics. Many people saw Megamind as the alien he was for his obvious difference in features, but were people so petty to forget that the man with the rugged good looks was upsetting the established order of the world?

"Move!" Roxanne pelted her fists uselessly at his iron chest.

"What did you see in there?" Metro Man asked quietly.

Before she could answer, a blaze erupted from inside the structure and a boom echoed throughout her body. Her hands automatically rose to cover her ears. They were lucky enough to be a safe distance away, but Metro Man continued to shield her and Hal for good measure.

Her ears were buzzing in the aftershock. She couldn't even hear herself screaming for the shadowy figure, the shape that she saw in the darkness.

Blocks of brick were falling like feathers from a pillow fight. After the initial blaze subsided, Metro Man was gone in the blink of an eye searching for any remnants of a could-haven-been life.

Roxanne sunk to her knees as Hal was awkwardly deciding how to provide the female reporter with comfort. She continued to watch the hideout smolder, smoke billows covering the view of the Metro City skyline. That was the first day she truly began to doubt Metro Man. And a nameless hero was born in her heart.

Megamind looked at his watch. What a dunderhead, why was he always cutting it so close with the timing? He could hear the brainbots arising from the underground tunnel and planting explosives throughout the old lair.

"Time to go!" He yelped to himself as he began speeding down the old staircase.

Many of the brainbots were already retreating from whence they came. One of them gave a 'bowg' as a symbol that it was about to light the match that would let the memories burn.

"Not until daddy's out in the car!" Megamind tossed his blue head over his shoulder and shouted hoping that they would utilize their voice recognition software.

His knees were practically hitting his chest until he swiftly opened the door and slammed it shut. The moment he started the ignition it was like he dropped the match to set off the bomb. Well, at least they listened. He would have to tweak the software so that they could analyze phrases more figuratively.

He was beginning to speed away as he observed a glimpse of Roxanne. She was distraught and shouting, her arms outreached in the direction of the fire. It was as if events were unfurling in slow motion. Had she dropped something special before Metro Man carried her away? He stalled the car parallel to the huddled group, having the urge to reveal himself and offer to replace whatever it was she had lost.

He felt a pang in his heart as he saw her settle to her knees on the city sidewalk. He realized whatever it was; he could not offer a suitable substitution. That was the second time she made him feel sorry. But villains had no remorse. He pressed the gas pedal, took a deep breath and tried to think about the maniacal laughter that wouldn't come.

Metro Man had left Hal to drive the van back to the video station while he carried a less spirited Roxanne Ritchie back to her apartment. He laid her down gently on her living room sofa.

"Listen Roxie, I scanned the area. There were no signs of life, and no traces of anyone having been there. It's okay, you're okay and nobody got hurt."

Was he trying to console himself? "You better hope so." Roxanne said bitterly at first and then sighed. Anger got her nowhere in life. "At least, I hope so. Goodnight Wayne and thank you for your help."

That was one of the few times she had called him his given name. "If you ever want to talk about anything, you know you can trust me." He said softly before exiting out the window.

"Yea." She didn't know.

She flopped onto her bed face first as she realized that she had been clinging to her purse tightly for some time. She dug around inside for some advil when she realized what was under her fingertips. The soft fabric of Megamind's old cape rose up to greet her. It was the only thing left of that place now. She pulled it out with wonder, like a magician would pull it out of a hat. She sat there eyeing it after she had laid it out on her comforter. She felt like she should be angry towards it for the condition of the old building. And yet, there was something comforting about the nostalgia that it brought her. It was the acknowledgement of a long-formed routine that brought structure into her once chaotic existance.

She wrapped it around her like a blanket, curious to see why Megamind would wear such a thing. It felt like being held. She pulled back from the fabric's embrace and let it drop onto the covers once again. It brought back the feeling of Megamind's lips pressed against hers, his hands and mouth taking more than she had ever allowed. These memories caused her to repress the anonymous hero in the shadows and return to something real. Who knows, she really could have imagined a hand in her frightened state. There were no bodies, no evidence of the figure's existance. Now she was comforting herself. Even if it was a lie, it made her feel better. She had done a lot of pressing things to the back of her mind over her lifetime. Now, at the forefront was the question: where was Megamind and when would he bring some calming monotony back into her life?


	5. Chapter 5

As Roxanne drifted to sleep in her studio apartment she dreamt of younger days, before she became a reporter.

Her hair was long and her clothes were grungy. It was the era after what Megamind would wear was considered fashionable. She was eighteen and living a reckless life. Her boyfriend would toy her around and she would help him with off-the-book business in shady nightclubs. She didn't know any better and liked the attention. Her mother worked long hours and spent time with her at the park when she could, while her father had been absent since day one. This was also the time when Metro Man was just becoming the symbol of the city, before he had really made his mark on crime. She barely knew his name.

It was a typical night. She was in at a rave in the basement of some abandoned complex. Her boyfriend was dealing and she was along for the ride. Although, she was starting to grow tired of his strung out behavior as well as the distant faces of the crowd moving and sweating to a blur of noise and lights. So, she decided to step out and explore. She took a breath of stale air as she climbed the dilapidated stairs, seeking a view of the skyline. It was then that she heard the sound of metal on metal, like someone was constructing.

Knowing that her own activity was illegal, she called no attention to herself by asking who was there. Curiously, she knelt and peeked her head around the corner. Her eyes grew wide as she beheld an older boy in childlike pajamas, his bluish-periwinkle skin glowing under the dim lamp where he was scribbling. She examined his concentrated face, brow furrowed and green eyes on fire with ideas she couldn't comprehend. At least she speculated so, from the size of his cranium. Hell, stranger things had happened. There was a flying guy in the city. On the other hand, maybe she had drunk too much. Everything about him seemed to be smooth except for his face, which made his expressions stand out even more. She saw what he was working on in the corner. Was it some kind of robotic suit? It looked like an ape, though she couldn't understand why. Was he working for some technological circus? Was he himself in costume? No, that skin was too flawless to be fake. She poked her head out further, to get a better look.

Then she saw an orb on the table with a content looking fish doing a flip inside of it. That was like no fish she had ever seen. She stood up, making a shuffling noise. The aquatic creature's eyes turned to her with a startled look that turned into a smile.

"Hello there!" it said in a welcoming voice.

The fish could talk! She brought a hand up to her mouth unsure of what to say. The blue teen's eyes were now upon her while his hand lingered on something that appeared to be a gun.

"Who's out there?" he squinted as he stood from his chair, unable to see into the darkness of the hallway.

Roxanne swallowed. 'Try not to judge a book by its cover' she told herself 'he won't attack me.'

"Hello." She waved while putting on a happy face and stepping into the room.

His hand still rested on the holster, as he looked her up and down. She couldn't tell if he was analyzing for weakness or deciding whether or not she was just a vision.

"Looks like you've been working hard." Roxanne broke the silence.

He seemed surprised by the continued conversation. "That's true." He replied warily.

"Sir, ask her name." the fish urged.

"It's Roxanne. Ritchie." She replied. "But, I'm really not rich." She joked.

The boy's serious face broke into a cautious smile. "I'm Megamind. And this here's Minion." He said with a gesture to the bowl.

"Charmed." The fish stated.

"He's quite the polite pet." She remarked.

"Oh, he's not really a pet." Megamind continued, "He's kind of one of my only friends in this city, like an ally or companion."

"You don't say." She began to wonder if she had any true friends herself. "My apologies Minion."

"No worries Miss Ritchie," the fish replied, "we're used to a lot of people not quite grasping our situation."

There was a warm feeling in the room with all three of them together. Their conversation continued deep into the night as they were getting along like kids at a slumber party. Roxanne began to forget what she was doing and whom she came with until she heard heavy footsteps outside the door.

Her clearly wasted boyfriend was stumbling into the room. "Les go Roxie. Time to go." He slurred.

"I think I'll stay here for a while longer. You go on without me." She said with conviction, inspired by her new acquaintances.

"Oh no you don't." He snatched her up by her long brown hair, dragging her towards the door.

"You're hurting me!" She screamed as her arms flailed to hit him. She was twisting to try and break free.

"Didn't you hear her?" the blue boy implored, his hand returning to the familiar place at his hip.

"I don't hear nothing but whining." The boyfriend snorted, continuing his staggering out of the building.

It happened like lightening, there was a blast of heat that lit up the room, singeing her hair and striking the assailant. Within a matter of seconds her boyfriend ran screeching down the stairwell trying to put out the blaze of fire set on this denim jacket. Roxanne laughed at the sight. "Good riddance." She scoffed in justification before noticing that something about her felt lighter. She turned to see the terrified look on Megamind's teenage face. "What?" She questioned. He simply held out a trembling finger toward her head. Was she on fire? She put her hands to desperately search her strands when she noticed that largely, they were no longer there. She now had a boyishly short cut from what she could gather. This was a big change from what she had grown up with. At first she was uneasy, but then she realized that it was truly time for a change, and what better way to commemorate it.

That was the first and last time she saw Megamind use the combustion gun.

Days later she would visit the same complex to seek her new friends, but they were no longer there. There was no note, though she was sure that if Minion could write, he would have left her one just incase.

There was a sense of loss that sparked redefinition of her character over the next few years. Roxanne began to clean up her act and she finally had a goal in life. She was taking acting classes to break into the mainstay of the city. All the while, she never forgot her short time with the guarded yet kind blue boy. It was around this time that the sparing matches between Megamind and Metro Man were getting going. People were talking and second-rate criminals were becoming sparse. When she saw the brainbots under the guise of their brown overcoats and old hats, she knew who was responsible for their craftsmanship. Maybe this could be her chance to reunite with the one responsible for her turnaround.

She followed the scout back to Megamind's new hideout. Why did he never tell her where he went? Did he feel guilty, or did he simply not care at all? Now she would find her answers. As she stood on the threshold, she snatched the coat and hat, draping them over herself before following the brainbot inside.


	6. Chapter 6

Her heart was beating against the thick fabric of the coat as she glanced around the hideout. Colorful pieces of paper were hanging from red strings on the ceiling, gears and tools gleamed on the countertops. It wasn't too large of a building, not too small either.

"Here I am with this brilliant plan, but I have no way to bait him." He sighed. "What does it take to lure a superhero these days?"

She reflexively hid in the shadows beneath the iron stairs at the sound. His voice had deepened in three years. What type of maturation had his alien body gone through? She swallowed at the speculation.

"Sir, I've baked some cookies that might catch his attention, if I do say so myself."

A smirk grew on her face.

"Come on Minion, we all know that your cooking is great, but-"

She heard some shuffling and the clanking of a studded leather glove on a plate.

"Mm, this is good." muffled Megamind.

She could imagine the crumbs spilling down his blue face. It was too much. "Pffhaha!" she tried to stifle her laughter.

"What was that?" the mastermind startled.

"I believe it was someone laughing, sir."

"I know that!" He shushed, "The brainbots are busy with the plan. You take this floor, and I'll check the one below. We can't let anyone know about our location."

Her heart panged. Was that why she was left out? She wasn't really part of the gang. She hadn't had enough time. Roxanne bit her knuckle. She wasn't quite sure what to say when she saw him again. Was he really the super villain that the media was making him out to be? All those years she had held onto another train of thought...

His black boots were making their way down the iron stairs; she could see them through the perforations. His bad guy style had certainly increased, mimicking the fashion that society would consider taboo but it somehow seemed softened on him. He certainly wasn't scary, but he was enticing to look at as he made his way slowly down the staircase. The longer collar did compliment his rather large attribute. She took in a breath when she viewed him in profile; he had grown a patch of hair beneath his lip in a darker shade of blue. She hadn't known that the man could grow any due to the lack thereof on his forehead. He turned at the noise.

"A-ha!" He exclaimed as he grasped her arm and pulled her from her hiding place. She clutched her hat, trying to shield her face.

"What do we have here?" Megamind continued, "A spy? You sure look like one in that outfit. Minion! I've found an enemy scout!"

"Coming!" Roxanne could hear mechanical clinking descending the steps. So that's what the robotic ape suit was for. She wondered if it was what Minion wanted or if Megamind chose the design because he thought it looked intimidating.

"You sure put a lot of thought into appearances." She said as she let the hat drop to the cement floor. "Hello again, Megamind."

Shock spread across his face, and then his brow furrowed as his green eyes searched hers. She could tell that he absolutely had no idea why she was here. He had no inclination as to what she was feeling over the past few years or why she had any interest in his affairs. It tore at her, she was miffed. But at least, from his telling features, he remembered her. She dropped the coat to reveal her favorite red dress.

"Hello Miss Ritchie!" Minion waved cheerily with his newly apt arms. She smiled. "We didn't forget you, just so you know. Sir has been watching the surveillance footage of your house quite freq-"

"Shh! Shh!" Megamind put his gloved hands up to uselessly cover the globe where the fish's mouth would be.

Roxanne stared back. "Surveillance?" she said blankly.

"No time for that! There is a plan set in motion." Megamind forged onward, his ears a pink hue. "I am a super villain now, Roxanne." His back straightened, his fists balled at his side.

"I'm not so sure." She eyed him, knowing now and forever that he simply couldn't be the bad guy no matter how hard he tried. She had known evil, she had felt it. There was no pain or fear to face from Megamind. Sans maybe the secret footage he had on her.

"I'll show you." A determined look fell on his face. Her eyes widened, seems she only served to encourage his bad behavior. "Minion," he commanded, "I think that we have a volunteer for damsel in distress."

He went through all of the motions: the maniacal laughter, the cape, the instruments of destruction and torture. Normally one would be scared of the situation, but she already found the excitement waning due to the typical bad guy protocol. It felt so detached from how she perceived the blue boy. For whom was he putting on a show?

Here she was, being tied to a chair with scratchy brown rope. "Hey, if I agree to this, do I get some sort of frequent victim card or something?" She joked.

"To make things clear, you did not agree to this!" He said seriously as he tightened her wrists. "And," he came around to face her, "maybe if it's professional we can work something out." Now he was the one teasing. The corner of her mouth turned up in a smile. His followed.

Soon everyone in town would know who Roxanne Ritchie was from the super villian's near daily kidnapping broadcast. Her recognizable face and constant interaction with two of Metro City's leading gentlemen made her a prime candidate for becoming a reporter. However, it wasn't until rumors of her and the hero dating that she received a reception from the knock out gas instead of Minion opening the car door and politely asking her to come along.


	7. Chapter 7

She woke up the next morning with her legs and arms twisted around the old cape like a child wrapped up in a teddy bear. She pulled herself back on one elbow and noticed that it was the same cape he had worn in her dreams, the first time she had played his damsel in distress. Over the years they had grown so far from where they began. At first she had tried to initiate some friendly outside interaction, but he stuck to the script. She never knew why he tried so hard, but she suspected it had nothing to do with her and everything to do with captain perfect. Every now and then they would joke about punching her kidnapping card, but she never received an award. She never even had a card. It was a fragment of a memory that she clang to, and with each dismissal it truly felt like he was deducting from whatever it was. So, she stopped bringing it up. Whatever newspaper or sleazy program that had classified her as Metro Man's soul-mate had caused her to become even more of a pawn and less of a person to Megamind. Still, she remained steadfast and upbeat while in her heart her admiration for the blue genius was fading. It had to, she told herself, because nothing would ever come of it. And here she was, shacking up with a memento.

"Today's the day, Minion." Megamind smiled confidently.

"I thought Tuesday was recycling day." the fish spoke lightheartedly.

"No! Not that. I mean, the day I defeat Metro Man!" He corrected.

"Shall I collect Miss Ritchie, then?"

There was a pause. "No… No. I think I'm going to try this the old way." Megamind looked absentmindedly towards the window that held the view of Roxanne's apartment building. He doubted she would want anything further to do with him. He wanted to afford her whatever comfort that he still could.

Roxanne was putting on a blue dress today, a cerulean color much like her eyes. Her thoughts were once again about the news and how to fill the slots with the limited amount of action that the city had been seeing. She tousled her hair and was applying some lipstick when she heard a loud knock at her door. Before she could answer, it burst open revealing an anxious looking Minion.

"Pardon the intrusion Miss Ritchie-"

She down at the door crumpled on the floor like a used piece of tissue. She was about to make a snarky comment when-

"Megamind is in trouble, I haven't seen it like this before. This is bad. I didn't know who to go to…"

"Calm down, Minion." Her voice was composed while her body was shaking slightly. She placed a hand on the fish's robotic arm after gathering up some things in her purse. "Let's get into the car and you can tell me what happened on the way."

They were speeding towards the hideout while Minion revealed the tale. It was an ordinary day of taunting Metro Man while the fish was observing the banter between the two rivals. Suddenly, a dark look spread across the hero's face when Megamind mentioned how the brainbots had demolished the old hideaway. Somehow things got switched over to Roxanne and Metro Man had forgotten his strength. His sonic punches and the heat of his angry laser vision had taken their toll on the rather slight frame of the blue alien. The big man had apologized and left Megamind to recover in hideout without the trip to jail. He flew away with a discontented look on his face.

Roxanne wondered if the only reason that Megamind remained at home was to save face for the hero with the public officials. "How can I help him?" She questioned while the shadowy figure from the old building was lurking in the back of her mind.

"Well, you see, we can't exactly go to the hospital. I've been able to do all I can with the knowledge that I have acquired over the years but I think what he really needs right now, Miss Ritchie, is you."

"Me?" Roxanne said meekly as they came to a halt outside of the new lair. There was a doormat in front of a brick wall.

"Please, pretend you never saw this." Minion pleaded.

"Cross my heart." Roxanne said with the sweeping motion.

This place was larger than the last one and ultimately seemed like the final lair. At least she hoped. The brainbots were more numerous than she could remember, floating freely through the open space. She was watching them glide by when Minion stopped and held out a hand to twist a silver knob. She followed behind and entered into Megamind's room. It was clean and sterile like a hospital ward. He was sleeping with an IV in his left arm. There was a chair by the bed.

"I'll leave you two alone for a while." the fish spoke.

Roxanne watched him go in slight disbelief while looking back towards the bed. The upper half of Megamind's body was visible. It had bandages that were seeped in a purplish crimson color. His right eye was swollen and turning a deep blue color. She had never seen it this bad either. Her wobbling steps carried her towards the sleeping alien. She hovered over his bedside observing his form before taking a seat in the chair. What could she possibly do to help him? Instinct led her to place both of her hands around one of his. He smiled weakly in his sleep, "Roxanne." Maybe he did need her after all.

Megamind awoke the next day feeling lousy. It felt like his giant brain had bounced around in his skull and there was tenderness growing in various parts of his body. He could barely see out of his eye. What specifically had he said to set the do-gooder off?

"Good morning, Sir." Minion said cheerily.

Megamind groaned into his pillow. "I don't think so."

"You have a visitor."

"What?" Megamind pulled his head back.

"Hi there." Roxanne waved.

Megamind's reaction was to jerk towards her, but his body resisted.

"Ah!" He winced at the slight pain, recomposing himself. "Why is she here? How did she get in Minion? The point of a secret lair is to keep it _secret_! You know perfectly well I don't need anybody's help."

"Oh, really?" Roxanne crossed her arms.

"Yes, really!" He snapped back. "I can take care of myself." He absolutely hated to show any sign of weakness, especially to those whose opinions he cared about. He must have looked like some pitiful wimp.

"Now, Sir, to be fair she held your hand for most of the night."

They both looked incredulously at the talking fish, as if they had been betrayed. Roxanne saw some periwinkle return to the blue man's face.


	8. Chapter 8

"I'll leave you two be, I have some business to attend to." The all-too-happy fish seemed to glow as he left the room.

Megamind cleared his throat.

Roxanne scratched at the back of her head. "Do you, uh," her voice was dry for some reason, "need anything?"

Megamind's face seemed permanently affixed towards the office-like window in the makeshift hospital room. One eye cautiously swept over her, then back to gazing. "Nope, nu-uh."

She could see that he was straining to hold himself up in a seated position, his arms crossed in a closed off position. His muscles were starting to show signs of fatigue.

Maybe she should step out before the guy fainted. "Alrighty then, holler if you need me." She closed the door behind her and took a breath as she heard the alien collapse onto the bed. He really had some trust issues. She wondered what could cause them to develop in one foreign entity, when Wayne on the other hand seemed the picture of confidence. Both had lost their race, their world, their family. Both were left on another planet to find their way in the same sullied city. How had one become the villain and the other the hero?

She sought advice from Megamind's one companion. She found Minion in the industrial kitchen with a little heart shaped sign above the cow sized ovens. He was making banana pancakes.

"Oh, Hello Miss Ritchie." Minion turned with a smile, and then he seemed a little fearful like she was heading out.

She leaned up against the counter. "I'm not going anywhere. Those pancakes look good."

He laughed, "They're Sir's favorite."

"I bet you know all kinds of things about him." She prodded. Not before long, Megamind's life story was unraveling on the kitchen floor. The pancakes were growing cold when Roxanne heard of the longstanding abuse and isolation sustained by the blue boy. How anyone could keep a baby in prison was beyond her understanding and she wondered why no one ever offered to adopt an adorable alien. It was no wonder that even with his big brain the man couldn't handle the simplest of words, often the ones that involved social interaction. Of course he had Minion, but had he ever been held? Told that he was worthwhile? Anything other than scorned and reviled for his self-expression? Her heart panged. Then, the story ended and the fish handed her the plate of pancakes for delivery.

The door squeaked open as Roxanne slid in. Megamind composed himself, pulling the sheet up further over his chest. She placed the food down on the side table.

"I just wanted to say," She would begin this slowly, "that your inventions are pretty amazing."

"Wha-" Megamind looked away from the window, locking eyes with hers, "What?"

"I like your inventions." Roxanne repeated, studying his face.

A big, childlike smile spread across its angles. Then, "They are pretty miraculous aren't they?" the bravado returned.

"Don't push yourself there, slugger." She smirked. And she wouldn't push him either. Part of her wished to sit on his bed and comfort him in all kinds of ways that he hadn't received in his youth. Yet, she didn't want him to be overwhelmed. She wasn't really sure about who he was now either. Maybe he was a super villain if he really didn't care much for the welfare of the people of Metro City. Then again, maybe it wasn't ingrained in him to do so.

Since Minion had so generously placed her in charge of his master's wellbeing, she checked on him around dusk to observe his vital signs. The plate on his bedside table left half-nibbled food from throughout the day. His appetite looked like it hadn't fully returned. His right hand was lying open on top of the covers while his eyelids were heavy with slumber. She sat in the chair beside his bed and placed her warm palm into his. The steady hum of the lair's motors had put her out after staying up all night and day.

Megamind awoke in the dark to feel perspiration on his fingers. He blinked to see the outline of a shorthaired girl slumped over the bed. He pulled a cover over Roxanne. So she really had held his hand all night. He hoped that she had a soft bed to return to. He had no idea why she would be spending any more time with her kidnapper than absolutely necessary or, for that matter, why she was clinging to him. Did she feel sympathy for his condition? He felt sick at the thought. He was the bad guy, he was supposed to get roughed up and it should only make him look cooler. At least, that's the way it was in movies and comic books. He wasn't doing anything wrong, was he? Maybe he was because the villain never ended up with the damsel willingly by his bedside. But, he didn't quite mind it at the moment if he had messed up somewhere along the way. He had never felt a warm hand linger on his. He had seen lovers do it in the romantic movies that he had caught while flipping channels in his jail cell. There was one thing that he wanted to try. He looked to Roxanne for approval, but she was dozing peacefully. Feeling a bit guilty and exhilarated, Megamind interlaced his fingers between hers. That's the way couples he observed would do it if they were really into each other. A giddy feeling came over him, and then a calm fulfillment as he brought his head closer to their interwoven hands and fell asleep in that position for the first time in his life.


	9. Chapter 9

Roxanne's head swam from dreams still lingering at the corners of her tired mind as she felt consciousness approaching. The light hit her eyelids, but it wasn't soft and natural. No, it was accompanied by the buzz of fluorescence. The familiar sounds of the lair set her body upright in a routine of calm defense, resulting from the practiced charade she had become accustomed to with Megamind. Still foggy from sleep, her mind tried to think of the last thing she was doing before she was kidnapped when she felt the warmth of a broad hand interlaced with hers.

"Ah!" She let out a startled exclamation, inching away from the bed shyly as the memory came flooding back that she was completely here by choice.

"AH!" Megamind's head shot up dramatically in response to her cry. In the same movement, his right hand adeptly reached beneath the mattress returning with the dehydration gun posed and ready in Roxie's direction.

Both were breathing heavily, chests rising and falling spurred on by adrenaline as their eyes locked on one another. The same confused and vulnerable look mirrored in their faces.

Minion's sing-song voice broke the silence along with the creaking of the bedroom door. "Good morning every…" He paused as he observed the scene, eyes shifting awkwardly from one party to the other.

Megamind began to lower his gun as Roxanne felt herself becoming shaky from the rude awakening. She had to make a swift exit. She could no longer share a gaze with Megamind; her eyes drifting from the weapon to the floor and becoming blurry at the possibility that she could have been a little cube, that he had pointed his first line of defense directly at her face. That was new.

The sound of her chair scraping on the floor echoed in the silent room, followed by the rustling of sheets. Minion stayed obediently still. Her heels were clicking fast towards the exit.

"Roxanne! Wait!" His voice felt distant. She couldn't turn back. If he saw her face, she dreaded what kind of triumph it would elicit. To be able to shake the unshakable Roxanne would be an all time career high.

"Please, wait!" Was he running?

Huff, Huff, "It was an accident!"

The train came to a halt. "Accident?" She spoke facing the door as she recalled the feeling of her drunken ex-boyfriend's hand coming down across her face. She turned to face the man in pursuit. Her incensed face shifted as she saw the blue heap on the factory floor. Had she forgotten? He wasn't that type of man, and this wasn't that kind of 'accident'.

He was still frail from Metro Man's assault, struggling to prop himself up. Even with all of his intelligence, Megamind haphazardly stumbled upon other's weaknesses, angering them in the process. How unlucky, and yet a lucky trait for a 'villain' to have. Could she trust that such innocence and naivety wasn't an act?

She sighed as she saw his arm muscles beginning to fatigue.

Megamind's contorted face straightened itself out as a well manicured hand presented itself. He gazed up apologetically, "Roxanne?"

She liked how he never shortened it, as if the name itself would lose all value if each letter were not represented. She knelt down beside him. "Come on, let's get you some breakfast."

He straightened his back, the best that he could. "Haha! You fell into my trap! I could easily get up if I wanted to!"

She stared at him with half lidded eyes.

"It's just that," he paused and pointed a finger at her, "I don't want to right now!"

She wrapped an arm around his waist, feeling his lean muscles as she stood along with him.

"All right, you've convinced me!" He added for good measure.

She couldn't help but smile as they walked in tandem towards the kitchen. His elbow was around her neck, his hand resting gently on her upper arm. As they did so, she took mental notes. He was taller than her; she could never achieve an appropriate perspective from being tied up in a chair. He was warm blooded, offering heat at her side. His form appeared small, but it was enough for her to wrap her arms around. Likewise, his anatomy other than his skull appeared very similar to other humans from what she could feel. Her notes were veering into dangerous territory at the last thought. What else with her alien subject did she need to gain a better perspective on?

His hold on her was quickly broken as he used both hands to take a seat in the kitchen. Both members were dodging the morning's recent events. As they noticed the breakfast spread on the table, they began to stuff their mouths to fill the silence. Similarly, both noticed Minion's absence. Roxanne then noticed a folded note beneath her plate, picking it up to read to herself:

"Dear Miss Ritchie,

Many apologies, but I will be out running errands the next few days to ensure Sir's safety!"

That's what he must have been trying to tell them that morning. She paused to glance up at Megamind, who was focused on his food.

She skimmed the rest of the letter stopping at the words "administer medicine" and "provide care" as she flushed and crumpled the note slightly. What did the fish think she was, a nurse? Was she getting a paycheck here?

Megamind's head perked up at the noise. "What's that?" He questioned as he saw the familiar yellow colored paper. "It's a note from Minion," he leaned in closer. "Is it for me?"

She slipped the paper up her sleeve. "What note?" She questioned stone-faced.

"Oh, ho," he noted, "You're good."

He placed one hand on her wrist. "But I saw it go, up here!" He spoke as his other fingers trailed up her shirt.

She tried to pull her arm back, but his grip was surprisingly strong. Maybe he was getting better.

As he pulled out the square folded paper, she gripped his wrist with her free hand. "It's for me." She smiled, showing that she could be forceful too.

They promptly noticed their entanglement, slowly releasing one another.

Megamind pouted, poking at his food with a fork while his other hand held up his chin. "I never get any notes anymore."

Something about his dejected face made her spur into action, "You have some." She spoke before taking a bite of food.

"Really?" His eyes lit up, and for a brief second she felt something flutter in her stomach.

"Yea," she continued. "They're just hidden around here. You have to look."

"Excellent, that should be easy!"

"And no cheating with the brain bots." She smiled as she saw him return to pondering. She didn't know what had possessed her, but now she had to write some notes. 'Heck', she thought to herself, 'at least that should keep him busy until Minion returns.' Maybe it would keep her busy too.


End file.
